Gamabunta

Later, Naruto is told by Kakashi that Tsunade has summoned. As the two head towards her office, they see Gamabunta outside headquarters. As they arrive, Tsunade’s room is filled with large and small toads, Sakura and Sai. There, the oldest and smallest of the toads, Fukasaku speaks. As the sage and Jiraiya’s master, Fukasaku breaks the news of Jiraiya’s death to Naruto. He tells of how Jiraiya infiltrated Amegakure and found out who Pain/Nagato is with his powerful Rinnegan and six paths. Fukasaku continues that even at his death-bed, Jiraiya etched a code on his back to tell the secret of Pain to Konohagakure. However, Naruto doesn’t hear any of these information. All he hears is how Tsunade allowed Jiraiya to leave on such a perilous mission by himself.

“If Ero-Senin (pervy sage) was the fifth Hokage, he will never have allowed you (Tsunade obachan / granny Tsunade) to go on this death mission.” – Naruto to Tsunade upon learning of Jiraiya’s death

As he storms out, Fukasaku states that he can understand why Jiraiya loved this boy, the child prophesied, so much. The boy loved him as well.

Tsunade doesn’t stop Naruto. She too feels the lost of someone dear. Someone who could not forgive himself for not bringing Orochimaru back to Konohagakure. Now, she is the someone who has to live with that guilt for permitting such a mission.

Before Fukasaku leaves with his entourage, he reveals that Jiraiya had more parting gifts for the village. Jiraiya had sealed one of Pain’s path inside one of the toad. Tsunade promptly calls for an autopsy of the body.

As Naruto walks the streets aimlessly, he thinks of the times that Jiraiya and him spent together training. As sleep does not claim him, he wanders off into the night, only to stop at a convenient store to pick up a popsicle. Iruka sensei finds a quietly weeping Naruto with a melting ice-cream in the park. He tells Naruto, that Jiraiya has and will always think the world of him. Naruto was Jiraiya’s prized student, and Naruto should never forget that.

Shikamaru came next, not to console but to revive a fellow friend (and more importantly, to decode Jiraiya’s message). Having no luck with Tsunade and Kakashi (who for a moment thought the code meant Tsunade’s breast size, but quickly dismissed it), Shikamaru turned to Naruto. After visiting a pregnant Kurenai sensei, Shikamaru tells Naruto that Asuma entrusted him with his child. Shikamaru himself is to be the unborn child’s teacher. Just like that, the younger generation becomes teachers to the future generation. Naruto too then has to grow up and be a pillar for the future ninjas of Konohagakure.

Time for Naruto to be the man who Jiraiya hoped for him to be. After wiping off the tears, Naruto begins his training.

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APRIL 2010

April 8, 2010 | ep. 154 & 155: Decryption & The First Challenge

The brightest of Konohagakure gather to decode Jiraiya’s message. The code is finally cracked, only with Naruto as the key and with the brains of Shikamaru and Shiho (who seems to take to Shikamaru. If Temari is not quick to act soon, Shikamaru may just be spoken for). The key to the code is Jiraiya’s Icha-Icha novels. Part of the message reads, “The real one is not here.” Yet, they still do not understand it, although Fukasaku should have easily deciphered that – meaning that none of the 6 Pains that were fighting him were the real Nagato. Autopsy of the one captured Pain path is carried out by Mizune.

Nara Shikamaru

Lord Fukasaku then convinces Naruto to learn senjutsu – Sage Jutsu, just as Jiraiya did. They travel to Mount Mokyubo, Land of the Toads, where Naruto learns to gather energy from nature and blend it with his own internal chakra. To train for that, Naruto risks turning into a toad himself, which is why Jiraiya, who never quite mastered it, always had remnants of toad-like features on him when he is in the Sage Mode. Of course, explaining the process to Naruto isn’t easy. Lucky for Naruto, Gamakichi is there to dumb it down for him.

Finally, Naruto sees and is able to gather Natural energy, but only with the help of the toad oils. He now has to train to do it without the oils. Lord Fukasaku then passes Jiraiya’s first novel to Naruto – Tales of a Gutsy Ninja (about his father, Namikaze Minato, the Fourth Hokage). Meanwhile, Naruto is forced to feast on insect grubs that Lord Fukasaku’s wife, Shima, has prepared for them after their hard day’s work. Naruto quietly and respectfully swallows every grimy, crunchy and very colorful insect.

Meanwhile, in Akatsuki lair, after draining six tails, they turn their attention on hachibi. Madara warns Pain (and Konan) that now is the time to move ahead and capture kyuubi before they leave Konohagakure with too much time to hatch a plan against them. As they drain hachibi, it turns out that Killer Bee is only part of an octopus leg. The real Killer Bee has escaped!

Is it my ears or are both the new opening and ending themes like kaka? What has a jitensha (bicycle) got to do with anything? And for that matter, who’s the chick in the ending theme?!

April 15, 2010. ep. 156: Surpassing the Master

Now comes training without the aid of the oils. The only reason for that is, the oils is not transportable outside of Mount Mokyubo, it evaporates immediately. Naruto is then taught to balance at the highest tip of a crest, whereby each drop into the ravine could mean death. As Naruto learns to adjust his equilibrium quietly and be one with nature, he also masters the skill of transforming into the Sage Mode. Later that night, while Lord Fukasaku is resting, Naruto quietly sneaks out of the room to practice a secret technique. Could it be that he’s using the forbidden Rasenshuriken? Or has he realized what Itachi has given him through his meditation, and has begun to use it? Option 1.

Ninjas from Kumogakure (Cloud Village) are searching frantically for traces of Killer Bee, Lord Raikage’s brother. As one of the ninjas, Jay, closes in on Team Taka’s hideout, Karin immediately senses him. Not before Sasuke realizes his eyesight may be waning. Sasuke immediately heads out and dispatches the ninja and his messenger lizard.

Team Samui

Back in Kumogakure, Lord Raikage has no choice now but to summon Team Samui, former students of Killer Bee. Team Samui consists of leader Samui, a big busted woman, who is also the only calm and collected member of the team. The other members are Karui, a red-headed flat-chested woman who is constantly arguing with Omoi, the only male in the team, who even though is level-headed, tends to exaggerate situations. Their mission is to go to Konohagakure to respectfully inform Tsunade that Lord Raikage will be dealing directly with Sasuke Uchiha. They are to also gather information about Sasuke and the Akatsuki from Konoha.

April 26, 2010 | ep. 157: Konoha Attack

Pain and Konan reach Konohagakure and begin their infiltration and assault on the unsuspecting village. The deciphering, intel and autopsy units are all closing in on their work at hand, when the Akatsuki pair barge in. As Anbu and the rest of the ninjas gather information on the identity of the attacker(s), Shikamaru, Sakura, Choji, Ino and Neji will have to defend the village. Come on intel!!! The real one is NOT with the 6 Paths of Pain. The real Pain is protecting his debilitated body elsewhere.

When they finally realize who they are dealing with, Tsunade makes a decisive decision, and tells her ninja that she wants Naruto to be back in the village – as he would want – to defend and protect the village.

Meanwhile, Lord Fukasaku reminds Naruto that the Sage Mode is a very dangerous technique for two reason.

1. If the user is not careful, it will turn him permanently into an amphibian
2. When gathering Natural Energy, the user has to be still thus any attacks will leave him/her in danger

The solution to the first is to obviously stop the process immediately. The second, as Jiraiya did, is to merge with Lord Fukasaku. Naruto will have both Fukasaku and Shima sit on his shoulders, whereby when one is counter attacking or defending, the other is quietly and steadily gathering energy.

April 29, 2010 | ep. 158: The Power to Believe

After her orders are communicated, the elders of the village vehemently disagree with her (after Danzou convinces that Naruto should be kept away not as a protection for him by a last-minute trump card for the village) and want a retraction. She tells them, just as the elder Chiyo of the Sand Village and Jiraiya have believed in the strength and power of Naruto, so will they. This boy has gone through so much adversities that it is time for him to live up to his potential.

Meanwhile, as they argue it out, the new generation of ninjas are protecting their home, just as Tsunade believes they would. The village has a new protector and Tsunade entrusts them with the duty.

The elders finally agree for Naruto to be back. After Tsunade sends out her orders, the frog messenger is told to quickly get Naruto and relay the message of Shizune’s findings of the chakra rods. As they leave, the frog is killed, even before he moves. Danzou has ensured that Naruto remains.

Everyone has their mission now. Even Tsunade has left her office and has called upon Katsuyu to disperse the Hokage’s chakra among the ninjas to aid them in their protection and healing of the village. She will protect the village, even if it means her life.

Iruka sensei saves another comrade from one of Pain’s Deva Path (Tendou aka Yahiko) and is about to meet his demise when Kakashi arrives. His sealing eye-patch has been removed as he knows he will be needing his Sharingan.

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MAY 2010

May 6, 2010 | ep. 159: Pain vs. Kakashi

Kakashi finally meets Pain’s Deva Path in battle. Kakashi immediately erects a wall with his earth element jutsu to block off their impending battle. He calls upon his Raikiri (Lightning Cutter, an enhanced and concentrated form of Sasuke’s Chidori) but Deva Path’s Rinnegan is activated. Kakashi misses his mark, but Deva Path manages to stabs Kakashi on his left shoulder instead. Kakashi attacks again, this time with an animal Raikiri, but is quickly repelled too.

Suddenly, out of no where, Asura Path (Shuradou) appears as a back-up for Deva Path. The Asura Path is almost robotic with much body alterations and fires various arsenals on its targets. Asura Path fires at Kakashi, but he dodges it. He creeps up to the Asura Path and tries a sneak attack, but Asura Path easily evades it. “Impossible,” Kakashi thinks. “He had his back to me.” Kakashi looks up, and realizes then this is what Fukasaku was talking about, the six Pains are all linked by their sight. They all see what the other Path sees. It hits him then, he will not be able to win this battle by himself, not when Jiraiya himself could not withstand the battle.

Deva Path

The Deva Path draws him in with his gravitational pull, while Asura Path waits patiently with his blade ready to throw the finishing punch. Kakashi is killed, but it is soon revealed that it was a lightning shadow clone that Asura Path got. Deva Path realizes that this person he is dealing with is extremely brilliant to be able to devise a plan and figure out his abilities in such a short span of time. This is someone he has to finish off, soon.

At the nick of time, Akimichi Chouji and his father Chouza emerge and quash Asura Path. After using his lightning shadow clone, Kakashi has only half of his chakra remaining. They have to act quickly and decisively. He now knows the Deva Path’s abilities. He is able to attract and repel objects or people using himself as the center of gravity. However, the technique cannot be used in rapid succession. The window of attack is between 5 seconds to a few minutes after each pull or push of energy, depending upon the force that had to be used. Kakashi shares this knowledge with Chouji and Chouza and quickly devises a plan with this small window in mind.

Asura Path

Kakashi attacks as a decoy, and when Deva Path disperses him with Shinra Tensei, Chouji and Chouza ensnare him. However, the corresponding attack is too slow. Deva Path had already recovered. Just as Kakashi uses his Raikiri to kill off a trapped Deva Path, Asura Path returns from the “dead.” Asura Path then uses himself as a human shield to protect the Deva Path from Kakashi’s Raikiri, just as Deva Path deploys a fatal attack against the Akimichis and Kakashi. Chouza uses himself to protect his son, while Kakashi is fatally injured and immobilized in a pile of rubble. This time, Deva Path is sure the Kakashi in front of him is no longer a clone. Using a nail, which he aims towards Kakashi’s head, Deva Path tells Kakashi, “Know Pain.” Kakashi falls. Thinking everyone dead, Deva Path leaves the scene.

Chouji awakens from the shock and realizes his father lies dead. Time is of the essence and Chouji is now the only one left alive to tell Tsunade of Pain’s abilities. As he tries to leave, Asura Path revives once again and launches a missile towards an escaping Chouji. A barely alive Kakashi is forced to protect the remaining informant in this massacre. In the earlier attack, Kakashi used his Mangekyou Sharingan to warp the nail away from him. Kakashi’s only known Mangekyou jutsu called Kamui can warp space by sending object(s) in a vicinity to another Kakashi uses his remaining life force to warp the missile away from Chouji, just as Asura Path realizes Kakashi’s ability.

Chouji finally reaches Tsunade to relay this message, as she feels Kakashi’s life slipping away from him. She, however, send Chouji back to his father, as he still has a chance of life. Tsunade leaves her protective circle and readies herself to meet with the enemy.

Kakashi drifts off and remembers his promise to Obito to protect Rin. Unfortunately, Kakashi only remembers his inability to protect anyone, thus, breaking his promise. He never protected Obito, nor Rin, nor his sensei, the Fourth Hokage. As he falls deeper into sleep, he arrives at a campfire. “This is where you have been all this time,” Kakashi states to the stranger. The stranger asks for his reason to be there. “It’s a long story,” Kakashi replies, “Father.”

May 13, 2010 | ep. 160: The Mystery of Pain

While Naruto daydreams and wonders about his village, Lord Fukasaku tells him to snap out of it. They need to practice merging together instead of wasting precious times. As Lord Fukasaku and Naruto begin to meditate to meld their breathing as one, the toad is suddenly hurled from Naruto. “That’s weird.” They try again. This time, Fukasaku tries it with the Amphibian Jutsu and sees Kyuubi safeguarding his vessel and throws Fukasaku off again. Fukasaku tells a confused Naruto that maybe this merge is impossible as Kyuubi is rejecting him. What was all that training for then? Is this exercise all for naught? How else can Naruto enter the Sage Mode during battle? Or can he use his kagebunshin, as he has done for his Rasengan and Rasenshuriken techniques?

Back in Konoha, Danzou tells his minions to stay hidden and await instructions instead of helping out the village. This, according to Danzou, is a necessary sacrifice of the village for him to be the Hokage. Plus, the Princess (Tsunade) is protecting the villagers with her slug Katsuyu.

At the Intel Division, Yamanaka Inoichi, Ino’s father, is called upon to probe the mind of Pain’s follower, Yuudachi. He immediately retrieves Yuudachi’s entire day of memories in under a minute and realizes that Pain was collecting dead bodies. Shizune arrives to share her previous information on Pain with Morino Ibiki and his team, but so has Pain’s Animal Path (Chikushoudo) who crashes the party with a Giant Rhino. Inoichi realizes he has seen that face before, it is the dead girl brought in by Yuudachi for Pain! But this is definitely the Animal Path, which Jiraiya also indefinitely killed. How is that possible?!

Animal Path

Communicating telepathically with Ino, Inoichi, Shizune and an Anbu make their way towards the Cipher Division to finish piecing their information together. But they are watched by the Human Path (Ningendou), the mind reader and soul reaper of Pain, as they flee the scene. Ibiki, the commanding officer of Konoha’s Anbu Torture and Interrogation Force, takes on the Animal Path with a few Anbu. The Anbu team try to restrain and cook up the Animal Path’s Giant Multi-headed Dog with a concerted effort of mud, encasement and lightning, but to no avail. Ibiki restrains the Giant Rhino with his Iron Maiden summon.

Morino Ibiki

He then imprisons the Animal Path with his own summons – the torture chamber, where he slowly squeezes the young lass with piano strings. True pain, brings out the truth. But then he realizes too late that this person not only does not feel pain, but is cold like a dead body. The tables are turned as the Animal Path frees herself from the restraints and calls upon her summoning jutsu on Ibiki’s stomach. A Drill-Beaked Bird immediately breaks free from his back, as she leaves Ibiki’s mind trap. “You would never understand true pain.” Katsuyu immediately appears to attach herself to Ibiki to heal him.

The Animal Path then summons more animals: a ram, lobster and a chameleon, together with the earlier animals, the dog, rhino and the bird – to begin the destruction of Konohagakure.

May 20, 2010. ep. 161: I am Konohamaru of the Sarutobi Clan

Sarutobi Konohamaru (grandson of the Third Hokage) tries to convince his “Konohamaru Ninja Squad” team members: Udon and Moegi to join in the fight. He reasons with them that their duty is to protect the village now that Naruto is gone. He assures that he has now acquired a high-level jutsu that has to do with rotation, power and containment. The other two, instead, convinces him that their duty is to guide and protect the civilians to a safe house. Konohamaru relents and picks up an old lady to the infirmary. However, he witnesses Pain’s Naraka Path interrogating and eventual killing of two Konoha ninjas. Because they will not sell out their own comrade, the two had their tongues extended and then drained of life force.

Before Konohamaru escapes, he accidentally hits his head on a steel pipe, causing the Naraka Path (Jigokudou) to search for him. Ebisu sensei appears, giving Konohamaru a chance to escape. However, instead of running away, Konohamaru remains to watch the scene unfold. Ebisu is easily outmatched and caught by the Naraka Path. The Outer Path appears, only to the eyes of the captured.

Naraka Path

Naraka Path’s ability lies in the use of summoning the Outer Path. It is a large head that emerges from the ground to interrogate, and in times of trouble, restore. Interrogation begins with the capture of the enemy. After the questioning, the mouth of the Outer Path opens and draw’s the victim’s life force from their mouth. If the victim lied, the Outer Path will consume the life force that is drained, thereby killing them. Otherwise, they would be spared. In restoration, the Outer Path ingests the destroyed being and soon a healed body emerges. In most combat formations with the other five Paths, the Naraka Path is protected by the rest, standing behind even the Deva Path. It’s healing abilities is one of Pain’s more important bodies.

A captured Ebisu is questioned and sees his life flashing before him. He trusts Naruto’s strong will to teach Konohamaru and the village the meaning of living, thus refusing to divulge Naruto’s location. Before Ebisu sensei is killed, Konohamaru throws kunai knives at Naraka Path, which immediately frees Ebisu sensei. Konohamaru psyches himself up, telling himself that there is no shortcut in the ninja world. Together with Naruto, they will both fight over the Hokage position. Konohamaru manages to dodge Naraka Path’s attacks through swift, evasive maneuvers, only to be hit eventually. Before he is caught, he realizes getting caught will be the end of the road for him. Finally he sees what the rest of the victims see, the Outer Path. Before he is drained of his life force, his shadow clone, which was used as a decoy to be captured, disappears. He finally uses the technique that Naruto has taught him. With another bunshin (clone), he attacks Naraka Path with the Rasengan! The Path retreats.

Back in Mt. Mokyubo, Naruto tries to pull in natural energy while running. Lord Fukasaku tells him that, unfortunately, this is an impossible task and the technique and training is at a dead-end. A glimpse at the etched code on Fukasaku’s back reminds Naruto that Jiraiya never gave in, even until the end. His master’s nindo (ninja way) is also his. They will never give up. However, Lord Fukasaku tells him to give up on trying to run and collect energy simultaneously. It’s a futile as telling him to look left while he is looking right. Right? Right! The light bulb goes off in Naruto. His kagebunshin (multiple clones) will indeed be his solution to the problem.

May 27, 2010 | ep. 162: The World Shall Know Pain

At the autopsy room, Preta Path (Gakidou) searches the bodies and finds one with rod chakras in it (the former Animal Path taken down by Jiraiya). He is ambushed by Kiba/Akamaru and his mom Inuzuka Tsume with her companion Kuromaru (the only talking ninken). They both attack him using the Dual Piercing Fang, but he uses the former Animal Path as a shield. They realize that physical attacks are disastrous for him. The Preta Path is capable of absorbing any ninjutsu technique, thus rendering it ineffective. It can also offensively absorb all the chakra from anyone he touches or grabs. Preta Path flees, but not before Akamaru leaves his dynamic markings on him. They give chase and corners him.

Preta Path

Shino, his father (Shibi) and a few of the Aburame clan members meet Konan and realize this is not Pain. They use their insects to attack her paper clones but realize that her clones are all armed with bombs. The real Konan has already been saturated with water, thus making her “weakness” against fire null.

Elsewhere, Guy’s team returns from a mission and sees the birds flying away from their village. They hastily make their return home.

The Deva Path/Yahiko finds Tsunade atop the headquarters of Konohagakure sending out her healing chakra through Katsuyu, but protected by Anbu. As Deva Path speaks, Tsunade realizes that this is one of the three children who were saved by Jiraiya, Yahiko. He tells her that her efforts of protecting Naruto, the bijuu, is futile. “The tailed beasts are no longer the power equalizers in the villages. (Since Akatsuki have captured and drained all but two remaining beasts) We are the ones controlling the wars now.”

“Don’t underestimate the five kages,” Tsunade replies.

She gets a Rinnegan attack in retaliation, but disperses it.

“The village’s (Konoha) past actions are unforgivable, but your actions now are worse!”

Deva Path presses for Naruto’s location, thinking that the villagers are protecting him.

“You have made one huge error. Naruto is strong. He is not being protected.”

Inoichi realizes that the woman with the summoning jutsu was the same corpse he saw being transported. Pain can revive the dead, and he controls them using the chakra rods. The six Pains are all corpses. Jiraiya’s coded message “the real one is not here” means that there is one out there controlling the corpses. Is it one or six? Either way, this person possesses a huge amount of chakra. If Pain is animating dead bodies (like puppets), in a similar manner to Inoichi clan’s mental manipulation jutsu, the real Pain pulling the strings (through his chakra rods) is at a relatively close location.

Unfortunately for them, before this information is sent to Tsunade, the Human Path (Ningendou) stops them. He ambushes them and captures Shizune.

Human Path

The Human Path is capable of mind reading by placing its hand over the victim’s head. He retrieves information against the victim’s will. It’s most powerful and lethal ability lies in its power to rip the soul off his victim, killing the victim in the process. After catching Shizune, he immediately finds Naruto’s location and then rips off her soul. With that information, he shares it with the rest.

The Animal Path pulls back her summons from destruction. She proceeds to summon the rest: Preta, Human, Naraka, Asura and Deva Paths, so that Pain can use Shinra Tensei, a massive destructive jutsu. Pain severs his connection with all the Paths, except for Deva. Konan, who was also called back, warns Nagato against using such an attack as it will indefinitely shorten his life.

Before Deva Path leaves Tsunade, he chants, “Accept Pain. Know Pain. If you don’t know Pain, you will never know peace.” Tsunade realizes that Pain is not retreating but preparing for something colossal. She calls on Katsuyu to protect everyone, as she wonders what is keeping Naruto.

Back in Mount Mokyubo, a messenger toad hurries to Lord Fukasaku to tell him that Kosuke the messenger left in Konohagakure is dead as his name disappeared from the registrar. Something bad must be taking place in Konohagakure. Luckily, Shima, the wife of Lord Fukasaku is in the area and she immediately summons them.

Pain annihilates and flattens the entire Konohagakure using his “Shinra Tensei” – Almight Push. Katsuyu shields the people from the devastating blast. As Sakura pulls out from within Katsuyu, and sees the destruction, she cries out, “Naruto! Hurry come back!”

And he is back! Naruto returns to Konohagakure with an arsenal of toads: Fukasaku, Shima, Gamaken, Gamabunta, Gamakichi and Gamahiro,.

Gamaken, Gamabunta, Gamakichi, Gamahiro & Fukasaku

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JUNE 2010

June 3, 2010 | ep. 163: Explode! Sage Mode

Naruto is transported back to Konohagakure only to see the destruction of his beloved home by Pain. At first, he doesn’t even recognize his home as the entire village is leveled to the ground. Then he sees the Hokage Monument from a distant as the plume of dust settled.

A bleeding Tsunade sees the annihilation of Konoha and vows that Pain will not get away with this. Her guarding Anbu notices that the violet rhombus mark on her forehead has vanished. That mark is her Yin seal, a chakra gathering point, which Tsunade transferred to Katsuyu to protect and heal the living beings of Konoha. Elsewhere, the Aburame clan breaks out of their protective barrier of their insects. Kakashi and Shizune lay dead. Kiba is caught under a massive wall but manages to throw it off with his legs. Shikamaru’s leg is broken, while protecting Shiho, but that is the least of his worries. He ponders if Pain had a purpose to fulfill when he changed to guerrilla attack against the village. He surmises that he was after Naruto. He concludes that the entire village better pray that they will not be hit with the same attack again. Very true, because Tsunade no longer has the power to protect all of them.

Deva Path meets Naruto, while the rest of the Paths outside the walls of Konoha are revived again. Naraka Path calls upon his Outer Path to restore the dead Asura Path. Animal Path is thrown back into Konoha, who then summons the rest of the Paths back into the village. On cue, they all appear before Naruto, Fukasaku and the rest of the toads: Gamaken, Gamabunta, Gamakichi and Gamahiro. Fukasaku tells Naruto, that these are the same 6 Pains who took down Jiraiya. As the battle is about to begin, Tsunade appears and introduces herself as the Fifth Hokage and protector of Konohagakure. “Looks like you understand what pain is,” notes Deva Path. Asura Path immediately tries to attack a weakened Tsunade, but Naruto jumps in and destroys him with his Giant Rasengan, created by his kagebunshins, shadow clones.

Naruto vs. Pain - Asura Path

“Reminds you of both of them,” Gamabunta observes with pride, as he sees Minato and Jiraiya in this promising lad.

Deva Path realizes his tendou powers will be replenished as soon as he prepares for the battle ahead. Naruto sends Tsunade away, under the protection of Gamakichi. He instructs her to get the villagers away from the battlefield too. Before Tsunade leaves, she puts the smallest of Katsuyu in his care, as the slug has intel on the six Pains. Little Katsuyu is taken into Fukasaku’s care, and slowly hides in the folds of Naruto’s clothes. Finally, Naruto asks the whereabouts of Kakashi. Tsunade doesn’t answer.

The moment Gamakichi tries to leave with Tsunade, Animal Path summons her rhinoceros, but is stopped by Naruto who hauls the animal by its tusk and throws it into midair. Gamakichi arrives safely at Sakura’s location, with his precious cargo. Sakura sees a transformed Tsunade – her actual self.

Naruto vs. Pain - Preta Path

Naruto holds off the rest of the animal summons with his new Sage Art. Katsuyu tells Naruto that ninjutsu won’t work on Pain, and what’s more, all the Paths do not have a blind spot as their visions are linked. Gamabunta takes on the dog summon while Gamaken takes on the charging rhino. Naruto faces and crushes the Preta Path with Frog Kata, Kawazu Kumite (Toad Sage Fist). Deva Path notes that Naruto too has become a sage, much like Jiraiya sensei. Yes, they are brothers in training sharing one master. Naruto listens in disbelief as he refutes his belief that he was ever Jiraiya’s student since Jiraiya would never have called upon this kind of destruction even towards a sworn enemy. Jiraiya desired peace, but he never knew the true meaning of peace – according to Deva Path.

Calling upon his bunshins again, Naruto prepares his perfected Rasenshuriken. Elsewhere, Sakura “watches” the fight with a Hyuuga clan ninja telling her everything. When he sees the shuriken-like wind form and tells Sakura, she realizes Naruto is using the forbidden Rasenshuriken. Even Shima and Fukasaku are surprised by this new technique. Naruto hurls his Futon: Rasenshuriken towards the remaining Paths.

June 10, 2010 | ep. 164: Danger! Sage Mode Limit Reached

Rasenshuriken expands as it nears the four remaining Paths of Pain, taking out the Human Path in the process.The Animal Path manages to escape and summons her animals to her aid. The Chief Toad, Gamabunta, Gamaken and Gamahiro take on the three-headed dog. As they cut it up, the dog separates and increase in numbers. The drill-beaked bird attacks Naruto, as Animal Path ambushes him. Fukasaku notices (and so does the Deva Path) that Naruto is slowing down as he slowly loses his Sage chakra. Before he reaches his Sage Mode limit, they have to stop the Animal Path and her summons. Fukasaku and Shima both know what they have to do.

From afar, Shikamaru sees the huge crater and wonders who is fighting Pain. Katsuyu tells him that it is Naruto. There is no way Naruto can take the six Pains by himself. But Nara Shikaku, his father, stops him. The best teamwork is to stay out of his way, as he has requested. Naruto is on a league of his own now after having mastered the Sage Mode.

With his chakra slowly dissipating, Fukasaku hurls Gamabunta towards the Animal Path. Shima, using the Sage Art Wind Release: Sand Dust, Gamabunta traps the Animal Path in his mouth, and uses his Rasenrengan – twin Rasengans – to destroy it. The multiplied dogs disappear. Four down, two more to go: Naraka Path and Deva Path. But are they really down? However, he has run out of natural energy and has exited the Sage Mode. So his Sage Mode is good for only two Rasenshuriken. He has to use this attack wisely.

Naruto vs. Pain - Deva Path

Shima urges Fukasaku to merge to Naruto now, as Deva begins his attacks against Naruto. Fukasaku tells Shima that they cannot join with him, because kyuubi is preventing Naruto from accepting other sources of chakra. Naruto will have to rely on his bunshins, as he himself realized. He pulls out his summoning scroll. Since he is unable to summon without Deva Path attacking him, Fukasaku retrieves the scroll from him to call upon his shadow clone from Mount Myouboku. Naruto left two shadow clones behind to gather natural energy for him. Two clones, therefore he has use for four Rasenshurikens left.

As Fukasaku summons Naruto’s clone, Naruto tells the Chief to step back, as he is reentering the Sage Mode. Just as Deva Path tries to stab him with a shuriken, Naruto enters the Sage Mode and deflects his attack. Naruto immediately creates and attacks with another Rasenshuriken only to have Preta Path absorb the attack. Naruto was sure he took this fat boy out. Katsuyu tells him then that the Naraka Path, standing right at the back of the six Pains’ formation, has revived Preta Path. But the most problematic, will be Deva Path, but he has yet to show his powers. Why is that? Either way, Naraka Path has to be destroyed first.  Creating a Rasenshuriken he hurls it towards the three remaining Paths, but creates a smokescreen to cover him. Preta Path absorbs the Rasenshuriken, but it soon turns out that Naruto had used the Transformation Jutsu to turn himself into a Rasenshuriken and neutralizes the Preta Path instead. The real Rasenshuriken heads towards Deva Path. While Deva Path is distracted, Naruto uses his clone to attack the Naraka Path with Rasenrengan, thereby defeating it.

Before Naruto can take out the Preta Path too, Deva Path’s power returns and he uses Shinra Tensei that temporarily surprises Naruto, thus allowing the Preta Path to escape. With each exertion of power, there is a 5-second window of attack for Naruto. Ninjutsu and Taijutsu won’t work on him. They will have to trap him with genjutsu, but Naruto sucks at that. Shima and Fukasaku will use their  genjutsu, like the last time with Jiraiya.

Gamabunta tries the attack Deva Path, but he escapes and uses Shinra Tensei again. The Chief Toad does down, and so do the other two.

June 17, 2010 | ep. 165: Kyuubi Capture Complete

Every one of Naruto’s friend realizes that he is fighting alone. They will have to put their faith in him. But Hinata doesn’t want it to be so, leaving him to fend for the village himself.

The three toads, Gamabunta (every bone in his body is broken), Gamaken (weakened) and Gamahiro (fate unknown, floating in a pond), are down. Fukasaku and Shima are trying to build their chakra towards their ultimate genjutsu, but they need time. Naruto will have to buy time, but he has to be careful, as he has only one clone left in Mount Myouboku and he, ironically, cannot prolong the battle anymore.

Even with four of the six bodies of Pain down (Asura, Animal, Human & Naraka), Deva suddenly uses his Bansho Ten, Universal Pull, to suck Naruto in, even as Naruto prepares to attack him. Unable to resist the pull, Preta Path locks him in. Hinata sees the alarming development. Not to worry, Deva Path assures Naruto, he will not kill him. He is, after all, the jinchuuriki for kyuubi. Unfortunately, the two toad elders have yet to accumulate enough chakra to aid Naruto. He still has to hold up against Pain by himself.

Preta Path begins absorbing Naruto’s chakra to nullify him. However, Preta Path is unable to handle natural energy, and Naruto knowing this pumps him even more with the Sage chakra, thus petrifying Preta Path into a frog statue. Naruto frees himself from his grasp, as he readies himself to battle Deva Path. Katsuyu reminds Naruto that this is not the real Pain. The Paths are all but puppets of the real Pain.

Naruto vs. Pain